Quick Tip: Make Your Home More Romantic

For less than the price of a romantic night on the town, you can make your home romance-ready year round.

Romance truly begins the minute you walk in the front door. “When the outside world clutters our inside lives, it’s harder to get to the point where you can reconnect,” says decorating coach Kathryn Salyer of mydecoratingcoach.com.

You may have caught the word “clutter.” Considering that the kitchen is a hub of household activity, it has the potential to be hectic or serene—and that feeling starts with the atmosphere. Start by clearing your line of sight by getting rid of all the unnecessary magazines, junk mail, utensils, and anything that takes up space without adding beauty or value. “Uncluttering your home and uncluttering your heads gives you the freedom to be romantic,” Salyer says. One suggestion: Create separate bins for catalogs, bills, and electronics and place those bins on a shelf.

Now you have room to add some relaxation-inspiring accessories. Consider special-occasion wine glasses or a wine cooler to chill wine to just the right temperature—even at the last minute.

If breakfast is more your cup of tea, consider an individual brewing system that allows one of you to brew a latte while the other makes hot chocolate.